Pipe-pilot.



C. D. AMMON.

PIPE PILOT.

APPucATxoN FILED :uur 22. 1915.

Patented Apr. 18,1916.

nventor Witnesses Atto rn eys cable to both sv fr Pira-PILOT.

Speciication of Letters Patent.

Application filed J' une 22, 191,5. Serial No. 35,584.

2b all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES I). AMMON, a citizen of the United States, residing at David City, in the county of Butler and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Pipe-Pilot, of which the following is a specication.

he device forming the subj ect matter of this application is a pilot adapted to be used upon a pipe pushing machine, and the invention aims to provide a pilot of this sort which will pass through the soil without lat- Ieral deflection, and with a minimum amount of friction.

In using a pipe-pushing device, the pipe which is being pushed will not run straight through the ground unless the pipe is guided by a pilot which is so constructed as to direct the pipe directly toward a fixed point, without deiiection;` and to produce such a pilot is the object of this invention.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and t-o enhance the utility7 of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 shows in side elevation, a pipe pushing machine whereunto the pilot forming the subject matter of this application has been 2 is a side elevation of the pilot; Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing a modified form of pilot; Fig. 4 is an end elevation applicable to both forms of the invention; Fig. 5 is a cross section appliforms of the invention and taken on the lines 5-5 of Figs. 2 and 3.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a track on which is mounted to move a carriage 2 carrying a pipe 3 I' held in p lace by clamping means 4. The carriage 2 is moved along the track 1 through the instrumentality of a feeding means 5. The pipe'3 may carry a sight tube 6 from which-depend plumb bobs 7 No novelty is claimed for the details above described, since they are shown in Patent No, 1,117,150,

granted on the 17th day of November, 1914, .to Charles D; Ammon, a portion of the pipe pushing machine being delineated merely for thepurpose of illustrating the application of the pilot forming the subject matter of this application.

'The pilot claimed comprises a cylindrical body 8 provided at its rear end with an enlarged, cylindrical butt 9 terminating in a threaded spindle 10 adapted to be received in acouplingL 11 on the forward end ofthe pipe 3. Any other means may be employed for assembling the pilot with the pipe. At the forward end of the body 8 there is formed a head 12 and, as shown at 14, the body 8 is of slightly less diameter than the head l2, the .cross section. As indicated at 15, the body 8 1s of slightly less diameter than the butt 9, the butt 9 and the head 12 being of a common diameter. At the forward end of the head 12 there is located a nose 16 of frustoconical form and of the same diameter at its wider end 17 as the head 12. The nose 16 terminates in a forwardly presented, cylindrical prong 18 of the same diameter as the smaller end 19 of the nose 16. The prong 18, the nose 16, the head 12 and the body 8 are disposed in coaxial relation, and the forward end face 2O of the prong 18 is disposed at right angles to the common axis of the parts above enumerated.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings, a modified form of the invention is shown, parts previously described being designated by numerals hereinbefore used, with the suiiiX a. In this form of the invention, the butt 9 is omitted, the pilot remaining otherwise unchanged.

The prong 18 first enters the earth as the pipe 3 is advanced, and because, as clearly shown in the drawings, the prong'18 is of a common diameter from end to end, the prong has no tendency to deflect the pilot laterally. A lateral deflection of the pilot, further, is prevented because the end face 20 of the prong 18 lies at right angles to the axis of the prong. The symmetrical, frustoconical nose 16 eases the head 12 into the earth, but produces no lateral deflection, because the nose is symmetrical. Since, as indicated at 14, the body 8 is of a less diameter than the head 12, the friction of the pilot on the earth as the pilot is advanced is reduced. The butt 9 is not a mandatory element, but. when employed, it aids in de rateatea'apr. is, 1ere.

latter being of cylindricalv resting the right line, advancing movement of the pilot.

Owing to the relations existing between the various parts of the pilot, great resist ance ,is presented against any force tending to deflect the pilot.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is1- l. A pilot for a pipe pushing machine, comprising a body and a head, the head being of a common diameter from end to end and the body being of a less diameter than the head, there being a frusto-conioal nose on the forward end of the head and of the Same diameter at its wider end as the head, the nose terminating in a forwardly presented prong of common diameter from' end to end and of the same diameter as the smaller end of the nose.

2. A pilot for a pipe pushing machine,

Copies of this patent may be `obtained for five cents each, by addressing the comprising a body'and a head, the head being of a common diameter from end to end and the body being of a less diameter than the head, there being a frusto-conical nose on the forward end of the head and of the same diameter at its wider end as the head, the nose terminating in a forwardly presented yprong of common diameter from end to end and of the same diameter as the smaller end of the nose, the forward end face of the prong being disposed at right angles to the axis of the prong, the prong, the nose, the head and the body being coaxially disposed. 4

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afHXed my signature :in the presence of a witness.

CHARLES D. AMMON. Witness:

ARTHUR GRAYBILL.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

rit 

